ArKaos VJ: Mixing Video Layer Transparency in Real Time

The Transition Effect allows you to define the percentage of the visual you would like to see blended on top of loops you are already running. If you set the percentage to 0%, the result will be total transparency (you won't see the new visual at all). On the other hand, if you set the percentage to 100%, the new visual will be opaque, completely covering the background loops. Try varying the percentage rate between 1% and 99% in real time, to achieve your desired effect.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to blending your visuals on the fly:

Place your first video loop on a key, then assign a second loop to a different key.
Assign the second loop a Transition Effect. Select “Effects” from the Synth Menu, click on the desired Transition Effect icon in the Effects window, drag it to the Patch window, and drop it on the key where the second loop resides. Your keyboard should look something like this:

Double-click on the Transition you just dropped on the key to bring up its Setup dialog. Select “Using Controller” and choose “Controller 7.” Since the horizontal mouse movements are emulating MIDI Controller 7, you can slide your mouse from left to right to define how much of the loop will be blended with the background. Press and hold the key corresponding to the first loop, then trigger the loop with the Effect and start moving your mouse from left to right. You will see the loops start to blend.

After assigning Effects to different MIDI controllers, it’s easy to trigger and mix your different loops in real time. If you wish to assign another parameter for real-time control and don't own a MIDI controller, Controller 8 will react to the vertical movement of the mouse.

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